The First Date Ambivalence
by Napolaj
Summary: We saw on the show how Sheldon met Amy but how did Amy meet Sheldon? Canon one-shot playing in 2011. Amy's POV. I don't own the Big Bang Theory.


**I'm back at writing, I will continue my other stories I promise, but I had an idea and I had to write it. Reviews are always welcome.**

2011 May

Amy Farrah Fowler was walking fast that day towards her car in the parking lot. Her work at UCLA was more important to her than anything else, still she waited today for it to be over. The AC in her lab was out of function so she had to EEG some irritated monkeys in the hot weather which was the early sign of the forcoming long California summer. She was usually excited about the resutls but today she felt just tired and sweaty, so she left kind of early.

She drove home. The apartment was empty as usual, her tea mug and plate from morning were ont he counter, now clean and dry. She used to wash the dishes immediately. She didn't know suddenly what to do with her free afternoon as she arrived home so early. After she took a long, cold shower it was just four p.m. Amy Farrah Fowler didn't like anything unplanned, she tried to schedule her days to stay busy. She had great hobbies, but that day she didn't feel like doing any of them, not playing the harp, not reading, not even medieval literature wich was her favorite. After several moments of thinking she realised suddenly that she was actually in the mood for talking to someone. It was a really difficult feeling and usually she didn't let herself feel that way at all, but now she was too tired to deny it. She decided to call her Mom on Skype as she had to call her every week anyway.

" Hello Mother."

" Hello Amy darling. How are you doing? "

" Thanks, I'm fine. I just had a hard day. The AC wasn't working so it was really hot in the lab. The monkeys were frustrated too. I hope the results…"

" Oh, Amy, darling, I don't want to hear about your research. I want to hear about you. Have you met any suitable gentlemen lately? "

Amy already felt regret being weak and calling her Mom.

" No, Mother, but…"

" But what? You're not getting any younger. Have you heard that Rosie McGregor had her weddig on last Sunday. You know, that little redhaired girl who went the same high school as you, one class younger."

Amy rolled her eyes.

" Mom, please, I have to focus on work. This could be my big breakthrough…"

" I know, but you must feel really lonely. You need some companionship. And I need grandkids. "

" MOM! I am not lonely! " she was almost shouting. Of course she was lonely. But lonely was her state of exsistence. She has always been lonely. She didn't understand herself getting bothered by it now.

" Sure you are lonely. That's why I ask you to go out there and find someone. At least for a date. Do you remember our deal, don't you? "

Amy nodded.

" It's just April. I have plenty of time until New Years Eve. "

" Amy Farrah Fowler! I've had enough of this. Either you find a date in a week or I'll find you one. "

" But Mom! You can't do this to me! I'm a grown woman. "

" Yes you are! A grown woman who lacks any experience with men. "

" Maybe if you didn't spent my childhood keep repeating how important my hymen is…"

" I wanted you to have virtue. Not to become a spinster! "

" I am not a spinster! I am just 27. "

" Yeah. And it's time for you to have someone. You have one week. Goodbye, Amy. "

She hung up and Amy was just sitting there looking at the dark monitor feeling like a little kid.

She decided not to do anything about it. Maybe her mother just threathened her. She decided to order some taktouts and watch Little House on the Prairie to comfort herself.

The next day the sky was cloudy and the air smelled after rain. Amy felt a lot calmer and she couldn't take her Mom seriously anymore. She went to work and prepared to stay there all day, maybe even for the evening as she ditched work yesterday afternoon. The AC was repaired and the monkeys seemed a little more peaceful. The lab assistants were also in a good mood, they were chatting through the day sometimes asking Amy's opinion. She finally enjoyed work again so she was sure that those feelings from last night were gone for the better. She was focused and didn't even check her phone just in the evening walking in the parking lot. Her Mother sent her a text message.

" My dear Amy. I think I've found a suitable young man your you. His name is Paul Myers. and he is a postman. His the son of one of my friends from my yoga class. Check him out! "

Amy almost dropped her phone. A postman? What the hell was she supposed to talk about with a postman? Her mother must have lost her mind.

" I still have six days. And I won't date a postman. " she texted back.

Amy drove home on the way complaining to herself about her mother. When she finally arrived she decided she'd have to go back to that old dating site she was using finding last years date ( who was an orthopedic surgeon and their date lasted for like 5 minutes). The year before that she met a lawyer, who also stayed for only a couple of minutes. And the year before that she was on a date with a philosopher doctorate student. That one was a real pervert who wanted to reach second base in half an hour. That was when Amy decided that she'll tell all of the men that she is not looking for anything physical and since then her dates became really short. She sighed thinking about those memories.

The only thing consoling her was, that she only had to put up with anyone for five minutes. All of them will run away when they hear that they have no chance having coitus at all. Coitus? It's so ridiculous. Not like any of them would really want to have coitus with her. In Amy's world romance belonged to old books and had absoultely no sign or connection to reality.

The dating site was giving her a match. A name called Sheldon Cooper. „What kind of a name is that? Sheldon… I bet he got beaten up at school for that name. At least we have a thing in common. It will be a nice little chat before I tell him that I'm not planning having coitus anytime at all. Or maybe he won't even write me at all. " She closed her netbook angrily.

The next day went by without further thinking about dating. But the peace was only temporary as her Mother called her on Satruday again.

" Hi Amy, I wanted to ask you, maybe ont he 20th of May are you free? "

" Why Mom? "

" You know, you could meet Paul then. "

" I won't date Paul. I won't date at all. "

" But Amy, you promised. "

" Fine, Mom. I still have four days left. Now I have to go. Bye. "

Amy felt angry and helpless again. She checked the dating site in the evening. And there was a mail. „Greetings, fellow life-form! We were chosen by the dating site as possible soulmates. I'd just like you to know that I find the idea of soulmates stupid but the scientist part of me wants to gather more empirical data on the subject so you may introduce yourself in a few sentences. Goodbye, Sheldon " It was short and written in an extremely cold manner with lot of latin expression. It was interesting not the usual, how do you look like and send me more pictures and you look beautiful kind of thing. This was definitely something else. It seemed like it was written directly for her. Maybe a prank? But who would do such thing? He had to know now who Sheldon Cooper was.

She typed the name into google and found a lot of articles. He was a scientist working at Caltech. He was a theoretical physicist. He had blue eyes. Tall. Kind of handsome. And his work… It was truly amazing. Amy downloaded some of his publications immediately and she said to herself she'll just look through it but then she said and spent half the night reading. There were thing she didn't understood, but that man was brilliant. He was genious no doubts. Oh, and he was from Texas. A southern cowboy and a scientist at the same time!

Before going to bed she sent a short letter back.

„Greetings fellow life-form too. I'm a neurobiologist working at UCLA. My field of study is addiction. I spend a lot of time with monkeys. I have a lot of hobbies but I highly doubt any of them would interest you. I live in Glendale. I hope your answer will include some personal information about you. Goodbye, Amy"

And she sent a text too.

" Dear Mom. Tell Paul I'm no longer interested, not if I ever were. I've found a date. "

The next she was distracted at work and not just from the lack of sleep. She kept thinking about that letter and kept wondering whether he will answer her or not. She kept repeating that she's only excited because she wants to get rid of her mother, but it was not entirely true. Sheldon Cooper seemed pretty interesting. Someone she was actually curious about.

She sighed with relief when she found his answer.

"Hello, Amy, if you don't mind calling you on a first name basis. I am a theoretical physicist at Caltech, my field of study is string theory. I love trains and science fiction. I live in Pasadena. I'm one of the few greater minds of our century. I checked your research and it seems respectable. Goodbye, Sheldon. "

Amy smiled. So she was respectable from the point of Sheldon Coopers view. It was not a real compliment at all, so why did she feel like it meant something?

Before she could answer her Mother called again.

" What do you mean you have a date, Amy? And why were you up so late? Usually you go to bed at 10 p.m. What happened to you last night? "

" Mom, relax. I'm okay. I was just up reading. "

" I better hope so. So who is this man? "

" His name is Sheldon. He is a scientist too. He seems… His letters seems really intelligent and written in a good manner. "

" And when do you meet? "

" I… I don't know.. We haven't found any appointment yet. "

" Amy, then it's not a date. "

" Mom, I will meet him. Maybe it were for the better if we only wait a little. "

" Amy, I think you've waited enough for meeting men. "

" Fine. I'll ask him out to go on a date on Satruday. Fine? "

"Good. "

After she hung up she took a deep breath and began to type.

" Hi Sheldon! First name basis is fine with me. You're research is spectacular. I think we should have further discussion about it. Meet me on Satruday at 5 p.m. in the coffe shop Espress Yourself on Walnut Street. Bye, Amy. "

" I shouldn't have sent that. I really shouldn't. What will he think of me? That I'm easy. What if he says no? Or says yes and won't come? This was a huge mistake. " Amy felt regret and excitement at the same time and it was too strange to her that she couldn't sleep again. The last two days were living hell, she felt like a zombie. And then after days of pointless but constant email checkings and workdays without concentration she got an answer.

" I'll be there. Sheldon Cooper. "

That was short. Really short. Anyway, he said yes. What if he won't come? Sure he won't. Why would he? And if he comes what? He'll run away. Everyone runs away. Why is that important to me at all? Okay, the guy seems smart, but he could be the same like everbody else. I've met a lot of scientist who were nothing special. Amy tried to convince herself that all this didn't matter to her at all.

On Satruday she was scared and she decided to stick with the original plan. Three layers of clothing. Glasses. No makeup. And she will tell him the same she told everyone else. That she doesn't want any physical connection. Not now and not ever. She wouldn't let a pretty face change who she is.

She was almost shaking as she stood there in the coffee shop. She arrived a minute early.

He won't come. He totally won't come. If he is late I won't wait. I'll leave two minutes after five. I won't wait. It's so humiliating. Oh my God, there he is. He is really tall. Wearing a comic book T-shirt. Who wears a comic book T-shirt on a date? And what about those little guys? Are they with him? I have to go there. I have to. He'll hate how I look. I know he'll hate it. It doesn't matter.

" Excuse me. I'm Amy Farrah Fowler. You're Sheldon Cooper. "

" Hello, Amy Farrah Fowler. I'm sorry to inform you that you have been taken in by unsupportable mathematics designed to prey on the gullible and the lonely. Additionally, I'm being blackmailed with a hidden dirty sock. "

What is he talking about. I don't get it. Oh my, what if he'll think I'm not just ugly but stupid?

" If that was slang, I'm unfamiliar with it. If it was literal, I share your aversion to soiled hosiery. In any case, I'm here because my mother and I have agreed that I will date at least once a year. "

Wow, that's lame. Why would I tell him that?

"Interesting. My mother and I have the same agreement about church. "

Really? He doesn't look like a guy who has agreements with her mother.

" I don't object to the concept of a deity, but I'm baffled by the notion of one that takes attendance. "

"Well, then you might want to avoid East Texas. "

Oh yeah, he is a Texan. A Texan with blue eyes. Doesn't matter. I have to crush this. I can't let this go any further.

"Noted. Now, before this goes any further, you should know that all forms of physical contact up to and including coitus are off the table. "

Now there he goes. He stopped. Now he's going to run away. Please, go fast and let me forget all about this.

"May I buy you a beverage? "

Why on earth would he ask that? He is not going away.

"Tepid water, please. "

" I'll have the same. "

After they got their two glasses of tepid water they sat down to a table.

" Have you heard it? What I said about coitus? " Amy asked still in shock.

" Of course I have. I have an excellent hearing. A vulcan one. You know like the vulcans from Star Trek. "

" I'm not familiar with science fiction. "

" Well you should be. "

" Don't you want to run away? I told you I don't want any physical relationship at all. You don't have to stay just to be polite. "

" Oh please. I don't do polite. I'm more than fine with having no physical connection. As for myself I found touching redundant and the other ways of physical contact are so messy and unhygienic I don't even like to think about them. I thought the same goes to you. "

" Yes, I completely agree. Have you read the article about that neutrino experiment? "

" Sure I have. Ridicoulus. And how goes your addiction study? "

" Mostly great. But sometimes they bite me. " she said.

" Who? "

" The monkeys we're experimenting on. "

" Monkeys are adorable. Not as much as koalas sor cats but they are good. "

" You're a fan of koalas? Have you seen that baby one in the Zoo? "

" Sure I have. I love going to the zoo. "

" Me too. " she smiled.

They talked about work and about the zoo and about everything. Not just about researches. After three hours of talking Amy looked at her phone. She really didn't know what to do. She had never been on a date this long but she felt like, it was time to go.

" It was a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Cooper, but I have to go now. "

" All right. I too have things to do. Today is laundry day and now it's almost my bedtime. "

" You seem well organized. So now, goodbye Sheldon. " she stood up. I may never see him ever again.

" Amy, wait. "

Amy looked at him with a curious expression.

" I really did enjoy our conversation. Maybe we could keep in touch. "

" Yeah, we could. " Amy slowly nodded.

" Would you mind giving me your phone number? "

Amy opened her mouth.

" Excuse me, what? "

" Your phone number. Do you have problems with your hearing? You ask obvious things for the second time and you don't seem stupid at all. "

" No, my hearing is fine. I was just… surprised. I'll give you of course. " She found a pen in her bag and wrote the number on a little paper. "

" Thank you. Goodbye, Amy. "

" Goodbye Sheldon. "

Amy went home but she couldn't fell asleep. This Satuday was special. Sheldon was so much like her. And it was so natural to talk to him. She really wanted to repeat that again. And they were both looking for the same thing: a friendship wit meaningful intelligent conversations.

The next day she woke up and the first thing to do was check her phone. There was only one message from her Mother. She didn't answer. She couldn't. She tought maybe she was just imagining all that special connection. He may never call again. He has to call. Why didn't he call yet? She felt strange. She never wanted any of her dates to call her back.

She spent the day cleaning her apartment and reading science magazines but she was checikng her phone every three minutes. When the evening was about to come she gave up hope. He won't call.

Then at 8. p.m. exatly her phone started to vibrate. She had one new message.

" Hi Amy! I hope you feel well after spending so much time in that coffee shop yesterday. I found those places really unhygienic, but the conversation was worth it. I've heard a joke today: Organic chemistry is difficult. Those who study it have alkynes of trouble? .Do you get it? All kinds of trouble. It's hilarious. "

Amy Farrah Fowler couldn't stop smiling that day.


End file.
